Two weeks after a total solar eclipse captivated sky watchers in southern Europe, a near-total lunar eclipse will unfold Thursday night for people across North and South America. Lunar eclipses occur when the Earth slides between the Sun and the Moon and casts a shadow on the lunar surface. During this week’s event, almost the entire Moon (96.2% at the peak of the eclipse) will be enveloped in Earth’s shadow. Weather permitting, skywatchers in the continental United States will have some of the best views. The eclipse will also be visible in other parts of North America, South America, parts of Europe and Africa. During the eclipse, Earth’s shadow will appear reddish orange on the lunar surface due to the way Earth’s atmosphere scatters sunlight. That’s why a total lunar eclipse is also known as a “blood moon.” Thursday’s eclipse will begin at 9:23 p.m. ET, when the moon first enters the outer part of Earth’s shadow. However, the real action begins at 10:33 pm ET, when Earth’s shadow begins to envelop the lunar surface, appearing to take a “bite” into the lunar disk. The eclipse will peak at 12:12 a.m. ET, when more than 96% of the lunar surface will be covered. The event will end at 3:01 a.m. ET when the moon emerges from the outer edge of Earth’s shadow. Most viewers in North and South America, except those in Alaska and the northernmost reaches of Canada, will have the opportunity to view each stage of the lunar eclipse. However, for those in Europe and Africa, the eclipse will begin early on Friday and the moon will set as the event progresses. Unlike solar eclipses, lunar eclipses can be safely seen with the naked eye, and sky watchers can use binoculars and telescopes to capture more spectacular views. The lunar eclipse follows a total solar eclipse (when the sun, moon and Earth align, with the moon passing in front of the sun and blocking its light) that darkened the skies in Spain, a small part of Portugal, Greenland, Iceland and northern Russia. Solar and lunar eclipses often occur in pairs because of the serendipitous way the moon, Earth, and sun interact. The three celestial bodies line up from our perspective on Earth because the Sun is 400 times farther from Earth than the Moon, and at the same time it is 400 times larger. That makes them appear the same size in the sky. Solar eclipses occur during the new moon phase. Typically, about two weeks later, when the Moon is on the other side of the Earth from the Sun, lunar eclipses occur during the full moon phase. The next solar eclipse, on February 6, will be visible in parts of South America and Africa. The next lunar eclipse will occur during the night of February 20-21. It should be visible in North and South America, Europe, Africa, Asia, Australia and Antarctica, according to NASA.
